Hi folks!I am currently looking for a new job in bigger city from where I work. As I look to apply online I see all these "requirements" sections: must have 1 year exp in ER, icu, etc. Seem like most of em want 1-2yrs of exp. I 've been a nurse for 5 months in medsurg/tele unit and hope to get new job in ER or ICU or IMC. Can I stil apply even if I don't have those yrs of exp?

Thanks alot

Sure, you can apply if you don't meet the requirements. After all, you'll never know unless you try.

However, you also need to be realistic about your chances...any way you cut it, you have only 5 months of experience. So you'd have to find a strong way to sell yourself to them in your cover letter and resume.

H thank you much for the input. Guess I will have to give it a shot first.

You can try. It helps your cause if you have some credentials that would bolster your suitablillity for the position in lieu of the experience.

However, don't keep on applying for everything and anything up & down advertised by the same employer. They recognize/remember 'frequent flyer' applicants and you don't want to become an annoyance.

Sure, you can apply; you can do anything. It's just that your application will certainly go plonk into the circular file with an eyeroll and an exasperated, "There's another one that can't read the requirements and follow directions." HInt: they want: at least one year in critical care. You offer: five months in med/surg. See the disconnect there?

Do you want them to remember your name like that when you DO meet their requirements, as someone who can't follow directions?

Your call. You have a lot of competition out there.

You can apply to any job you want... you can apply to be an electrician if you want but, as you don't meet the qualifications for the job, your application won't be given a second glance. Kinda the same thing here. If it's listed as a requirement, they're probably not considering candidates who don't meet those requirements. And in this economy, they don't have to. It's an employer's market, for sure.

o man, as i read the comments, i felt little discouraged because i thought those requirements were posted on as some kind of typical "thing to do" but not really followed through, i mean they accepted GNs to ICU and ERs, and now experienced RNs need spanking 1-2 yrs to get in? didn't make much sense to me but oh well... I reckon there won't be many jobs that don't put on these year or two experience requirements; I wished that I could make it to the big city hopefully

I would say yes, because you never know. The job I have now required at least 3 years relevant experience---I had less than 2 months and got the job. But, I'm not in a hospital setting, and I also had some transferable skills from a prior career. So, depends.

Pay attention to the job description wording. "What's required" vs "What's preferred." For example this IMC job I apply to states: 1 year nursing experience required. BLS, PALS, ACLS, TNS certification preferred.

See the diff? You have to have nursing floor experience to get in. Guaranteed you'll have BLS as that is base requirement for any nursing job. And then the other certifications are awesome if you have them going in but not required....you'd earn them anyway while on the job but if you have them going in then its a bonus.

I'd apply anyway as you never know.

^adding to my above post---I wrote that to encourage you to apply anyway as well :) The job description may list things that are preferred, but it's not required so go for it!

Yes!

Read "Lean In" by Sheryl Sandberg. In the book she mentions most men have no problem with applying for jobs they don't qualify for, whereas women typically only apply for jobs they fit all the qualifications.

If the job opportunities are limited in your area, then by all means, apply. sometimes what they require and what they actually end up settling for are 2 different things. I see those ads that require 1 and 2 years experience for icu/er and then later on find out they hired a new grad.

I've been hired in the past for a position that required 2 years of wound care experience and/or wound care certification. I had neither, but was hired simply because the only nurse with the requirements who applied demanded celebrity pay.

and there is also the possibility that they have other positions which haven't been posted yet.

the only field i know of that doesn't compromise on required experience is travel/agency nursing, which is approx 1 year in the area needed. they guarantee to send their clients experienced nurses and charge them dearly for it.